A/N: Hi. I've said this before, but I would just like to say again, I am not a medical expert. Please do not hold me accountable for any mistakes. Hahaha.
Enjoy the chapter! And please review!
…..
Lexie's bedroom was the epitome of a little girl's paradise. There was a giant, three-story doll house in one corner, a whole wardrobe of dress-up clothes in another, and dozens of dolls and stuffed animals scattered throughout the room.
After Lexie took Lauren on the grand tour and showed her everything in her room, she pulled Lauren onto the floor amongst the dolls to play with her. They dressed the dolls up in elaborate outfits and had the handsome prince save them from the green stuffed dragon toy.
Just when Lauren thought she was going to be stuck in Lexie's room playing princess and dragons for the rest of the night, there was a knock on the door and CJ stuck his head in.
"Lexie, Grandpa Harold and Grandpa Roman are here. They're looking for you. Grandpa Harold wants to see the beautiful dress you have been telling him about." He said once he had fully opened the door and stepped into the room.
Lexie's face lit up and she squealed as she darted around her brother and out of the room. Lauren stood up a bit slower and smiled at her boyfriend.
"Thank you." She said with relief as CJ took her hand and led her out of the room, which caused him to throw his head back and laugh. He knew Lexie could be a bit enthusiastic about her games, and he was proud of Lauren for putting up with her for that long.
After Lauren met Harold and Roman, who were both extremely kind and welcoming, everyone had just begun to settle back down when the elevator chimed, announcing the arrival of another guest.
A short, dirty blonde-haired man strolled in with a wide grin. "Hello, everyone." He said from the doorway where he stood.
"Eric," Blair said warmly as she rose from her seat and crossed the room to greet him, "It's so good to see you."
But before she could get across the room, Eric reached out the door behind him, "I brought a surprise," He said as he pulled a tall, stunning blonde woman into the doorway with him.
Lauren knew immediately that the woman was Celia's mother, even before Blair screeched, "Serena!" and hurried into the arms of the unexpected guest.
Celia looked exactly like her mother, except for the fact that Celia's lips tended to curve into a slightly mischievous smirk while Serena was sporting a large, dazzling smile.
After she recovered from the shock of seeing her mother, Celia jumped up and rushed over to Serena, "Mom! What are you doing here?" She asked as she hugged her.
"Well," Serena began, with her smile still firmly in place, "I was in London yesterday when I realized that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. You know how it always slips my mind, since it's an American holiday. So since I actually remembered it this year, I thought it would be good to spend it with my family for once."
Celia stayed by her mother's side the rest of the night, and Lauren noticed that she looked absolutely thrilled and she was totally beaming with happiness.
….
After drinks and dinner at the Basses', Celia, Lauren, and CJ returned to Celia's apartment while Serena went out with Eric to meet his latest boyfriend.
CJ and Lauren were laying on the bed in the guest room that Lauren was staying in, just relaxing after their stressful first day in New York.
"So, what did you think?" CJ asked, "Was my family as scary as you thought they would be?"
"Your parents? Yes, even more so, actually." She teased as she propped her head on her hand and looked down at him as he laughed, "But, despite the fact that I was scared shitless the entire day, I liked them. I'm glad I got to meet them."
"I'm glad you met them too." CJ smiled, "I don't know if you realize what a big deal this was to my family."
"Celia may have clued me in a bit," She said as she idly played with the buttons on his shirt.
CJ's brows rose, "Oh did she?"
"Yeah," Lauren smiled nervously and avoided his gaze for a moment, "She also mentioned something about Fitz being sick a few years ago." She looked back at her boyfriend and saw his jaw set in a hard line, "She didn't say much, she just told me I would have to ask you about it. If you don't want to tell me, I understand. I just know you two are close, so I thought…"
Lauren trailed off as CJ sat up and ran a hand over his face. "Fitz is-, well, he has always been a bit different than the rest of us," CJ began, "He is the only one who is really into art and photography, and he has a lot of talent for it. My parents, they were always more practical and business-oriented, so Fitz is kind of the odd one out."
He sighed, "I think it always made me-, us, more protective of him, especially since he was always so shy and timid. And then when he got sick…" He shook his head, "It was just really hard on the whole family. And it made me see an entirely different side of my parents."
"My mom has always been a very hands-on parent, and I told you how we never had any nannies or anything, but she had always left the dirtier stuff, like the bloody knees and the runny noses, to Dorota. You saw how put-together my mom is," He said with a fond smile, "It wasn't that she didn't care about our injuries, she just didn't want to deal with the mess. She would let Dorota patch us up and then once the band-aid was firmly in place she would hold us and kiss it all better."
He paused and became more serious, "But when Fitz got sick, all of that went out the window. She would climb right up into his hospital bed after the chemo treatments in her tight, fitted Waldorf Originals, even when she was pregnant, and sit him in her lap. She would hold him and rub his back to sooth him while he threw up." He shook his head as he stared off, remembering, "Before Fitz was diagnosed, I don't remember my mom ever even seeing one of us spit up as babies without frowning in disgust and immediately calling Dorota to clean it up. But at the hospital she didn't look disgusted at all or even the least bit uncomfortable. Sometimes, when the vomiting would go on for awhile, she would look like she wanted to cry, but she was always so strong and she stayed completely focused on comforting Fitz."
"And then my dad…" He took a deep breath before he continued, "He has always been so stoic, so composed. He's a pillar of strength, never breaking down for anything, not even in the most difficult times. But I can still remember when Fitz had to get all those shots and tests done and have his blood drawn; my dad would have to hold him down while Fitz would just be screaming in fear and pain. My dad would have to stand by while Fitz begged him to help him; to stop them from hurting him. My dad has always been the protector of the family and for once, there was nothing he could do to stop his child's pain. He had to let them hurt him so he could get better."
CJ pressed his palms to his eyes and Lauren scooted closer to him, rubbing her hand up and down his back until he continued, "As soon as the treatments or shots were over, dad would always have to escape out into the hall. He didn't want anyone to see him break down, especially not Fitz, but it was hard for him to deal with it all."
He spaced out again, "I saw him once, afterward in the hall. I was watching from around the corner as he paced back and forth and pinched the bridge of his nose to keep himself together. Once Fitz had calmed down and fallen asleep, my mother came out and joined him in the hall and my dad just collapsed into her arms. I had never seen anything like that from him. He buried his face in her neck and his shoulders just shook with sobs. My mother cried too. I could see her face and she had tears trailing silently down her cheeks. I think those moments were their one opportunity to let out the hurt and helplessness they felt at seeing Fitz in so much pain. It would only last a minute, and then my dad would wipe his eyes and stand up straight again. I know he never intended for anyone to see him like that besides my mom, but I'm glad I did. Seeing my parents throughout the whole ordeal and how they reacted, it really changed my perspective on them."
"How so?" Lauren asked quietly.
"I don't know how to explain it," He said, "It just-, it showed how deeply they love us, you know? Like, no matter how proper and serious they may be sometimes, they really just want what's best for us. I always knew that's how they felt, but to see such tangible evidence; to see such pain at the suffering of one of their children; it really showed me how great their love was." CJ shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know; it just made me appreciate them even more, if that makes sense."
Lauren smiled softly and placed her hand on his cheek, "It makes total sense."
CJ returned her smile, "Okay, is that enough of an explanation for you?"
"Yes," She said as she leaned in so her lips were inches from his, "Thank you for letting me in."
He closed the distance between them and kissed her deeply, "For you, babe, anytime."